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Environment Law: Preservation of Reserve Forests, Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Tiger Reserves

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In A. John Kennedy and Others v. State of Tamil Nadu and Others (2026 INSC 605), the Supreme Court of India monitored critical environmental issues concerning the preservation of Reserve Forests, Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Tiger Reserves in the Agasthyamalai landscape across Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The case specifically addresses extensive illegal encroachments, non-forestry commercial farming, unauthorized government infrastructure, and the non-recovery of massive lease rents within ecological habitats like the Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve (SMTR) and the Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR). Taking serious note of successive reports submitted by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), a Bench authored by Justice Chittaranjan Sharma (Mehta, J.) criticized the State administration for continuously subsidizing encroachers—including active and retired government employees—while stalling court-ordered evictions. The Court endorsed the CEC’s strict interim recommendations, which mandate a complete moratorium on public utilities in encroached areas, disciplinary actions against government-servant encroachers, and the recovery of statutory lease dues from corporations, keeping the continuous mandamus open for strict departmental monitoring.

1. Context and Core Issues

The appeals present a dual challenge combining environmental conservation with complex human rehabilitation claims:

  • Ecological Protection: The primary focus is the preservation and restoration of pristine ecological zones, wildlife sanctuaries, elephant corridors, and tiger habitats situated within the Agasthyamalai landscape spanning Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
  • Worker Rehabilitation: The second aspect involves the rehabilitation requests of displaced tea estate workers who were evicted from the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation Limited (BBTCL) estates in Singampatti, Tamil Nadu, after those regions were legally declared protected forest zones under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.

2. Interim Directions and CEC Investigation

On March 24, 2025, the Supreme Court issued a comprehensive interim order directing the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to initiate geo-mapping, satellite imagery, and on-ground surveys across the entire Agasthyamalai landscape (encompassing Periyar Tiger Reserve, Srivilliputhur Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary, Meghamalai, and Thirunelveli Wildlife Sanctuaries) to log all non-forestry violations.

3. Key Findings from CEC Interim Report (July 2025)

The CEC submitted Report No. 33 of 2025 on July 10, 2025, detailing alarming institutional failures in the Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve (SMTR) and Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS):

  • The SMTR Vulnerability: The SMTR forms the upper catchment of the Vaigai River, making it the primary water source for five downstream districts, yet it remains the most ecologically vulnerable zone due to complete administrative neglect.
  • Scale of Encroachments: Official records revealed that approximately 4,595 individuals had illegally occupied 5,071.27 hectares of Reserved Forest land across major ranges like Megamalai and Varusanadu. They engaged in commercial cash-crop cultivation (cardamom, silk cotton, beans) in direct violation of the Tamil Nadu Hill Areas (Preservation of Trees) Act, 1955.
  • State Patronage: Despite strict eviction orders from the Madras High Court, local district administrations were found extending state subsidies, infrastructure, and welfare schemes to encroachers at par with lawful citizens.
  • Government Servants as Encroachers: Crucially, the CEC identified 118 encroachers who are active or retired government employees from the Army, Police, CRPF, Forest, Revenue, and School Education departments.
  • Illegal Infrastructure: A total of 116 public utility structures had been constructed deep within forest lines without any statutory approval under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
  • Lack of Police Action: Although the High Court directed the creation of a Special Task Force in 2022, the local police failed to register a single FIR, deploy specific units, or make any arrests.

4. Directives and Recommendations Approved by the Court

To counter this, the Court accepted a stringent operational plan proposed by the CEC:

  1. Utility Cut-off: A blanket moratorium must immediately be enforced on all welfare schemes, infrastructure expansions, and public utilities in encroached forest lands to stop incentivizing illegal stays.
  2. Task Force Operationalization: The District Police must physically form and deploy a dedicated Forest Protection and Encroachment Eviction Task Force with time-bound targets.
  3. Action Against Officials: Disciplinary and legal proceedings must be initiated against all identified government servants occupying forest tracts under Rule 3 of the Tamil Nadu Government Servants’ Conduct Rules, 1973.
  4. Administrative Accountability: The Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu must review eviction and restoration progress on a strict monthly basis and supply minutes to the CEC.

5. Findings from the Second CEC Report (January 2026)

The CEC’s subsequent Report No. 02 of 2026 revealed continued non-compliance by district authorities in supplying verified land registries.

  • The KMTR Rehabilitation Standoff: In the Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, 99 families (originally dam construction workers) encroached on 10.16 hectares of forest land. Though eviction notices were drafted in 1996, local revenue officials (Tahsildar) refused to execute them. Over the years, the state offered alternative land allocations with free land titles (pattas) in Aladiyur (2004), Vellanguzhi (2021), and Vikramasingapuram (2025). While indigenous Kani tribals accepted their statutory forest rights, the encroachers repeatedly rejected alternative lands and began demanding free housing constructions, while illegally continuing to enjoy electricity, water, and voter cards inside the Tiger Reserve.

6. Corporate Arrears (BBTCL Lease Dues)

The judgment highlights a significant financial adjudication by the Madras High Court on August 18, 2025, regarding the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation Limited (BBTCL) within the KMTR. The lease rent payable by the corporation to the State Government—calculated year-wise with interest and penal interest spanning from 1958 up to August 31, 2025—was finalized at a massive total of Rs. 4,655,24,33,533.21 (Four Thousand Six Hundred Fifty-Five Crore, Twenty-Four Lakh, Thirty-Three Thousand, Five Hundred Thirty-Three Rupees and Twenty-One Paise).

7. Current Status of the Case

The Supreme Court marked the matter as “Heard in part”. The continuous mandamus remains active, meaning the apex court will continue to issue rolling directions and monitor compliance reports from state departments until all protected forest boundaries are restored and the corporate/individual infractions are fully satisfied.

2026 INSC 605

A. John Kennedy And Others V. State of Tamil Nadu And Others (D.O.J. 29.05.2026)

2026 INSC 605 click here to view full text of judgment

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Admissibility of Deceased Witness Testimony Against Absconding Accused

July 18, 2026 No Comments

Supreme Court allowed the appeals filed by the State of West Bengal, ruling that the deposition of a deceased witness recorded in an earlier trial is admissible in a subsequent trial against an absconding accused, provided the requirements of Section 299 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) are met. The Court clarified that the provision serves to preserve evidence when an accused deliberately absconds, preventing them from benefiting from the unavailability of material witnesses due to the passage of time. The Court set aside the High Court’s order, which had denied the admission of the victim’s testimony, confirming that the statutory preconditions—the accused absconding and no immediate prospect of arrest—were satisfied at the time the witness deposed.

  • Background: In a 2012 gang-rape case, the respondent and another accused were absconding while three others were tried and convicted. The victim, a key witness, testified in the first trial but passed away in 2015. After the respondent was arrested in 2016, the prosecution sought to admit the victim’s earlier deposition as evidence under Section 33 of the Indian Evidence Act read with Section 299 of the CrPC.
  • High Court Order: The High Court of Calcutta had rejected the application, observing that the prosecution had a duty to obtain a specific direction from the Trial Court to record evidence against the absconder during the first trial, and thus the earlier deposition could not be used against the respondent.
  • Interpretation of Section 299 CrPC: The Supreme Court held that Section 299 CrPC acts as an exception to the general rule requiring a witness to be examined in the presence of the accused. It does not mandate a formal, prior order from a Magistrate to record that the accused is absconding; rather, what is relevant is whether the conditions—that the accused is absconding and there is no immediate prospect of arrest—were established at the time the evidence was recorded.
  • Preventing Misuse of Process: The Court reasoned that taking a restrictive view of Section 299 would jeopardize the criminal justice system by incentivizing accused persons to wilfully abscond and await the death or unavailability of material witnesses.
  • Application to Facts: The Court noted that the respondent was a declared absconder when the victim’s testimony was recorded (2013), and he remained at large until his arrest in 2016. As the two essential conditions of Section 299(1) were met, the deceased victim’s evidence is admissible in the trial against the respondent.

Legislative Continuity: The Court noted that the legislature has maintained this principle in Section 335 of the recently enacted Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, reinforcing the intent to ensure evidence is preserved against those who evade trial.

2026 INSC 718

The State of West Bengal v. Kader Khan – (D.O.J. 17.07.2026)

2026 INSC 718 click here to view full text of judgment

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Insolvency and Bankruptcy: Finality of Resolution Plans and Extinguishment of Sub-judice Claims

July 18, 2026 No Comments

Supreme Court allowed the appeals filed by the Successful Resolution Applicant (Appellant-SRA), ruling that upon the approval of a Resolution Plan under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC), all claims—including those pending adjudication (sub-judice)—that are not specifically provided for in the plan stand extinguished. The Court held that the “clean slate” doctrine is fundamental to the IBC, preventing unresolved or contingent claims from resurfacing and undermining the revival of the corporate debtor. Consequently, the Court set aside the High Court orders and dismissed the civil suit and arbitration proceedings initiated by operational creditors, affirming that they are bound by the terms of the approved Resolution Plan.

  • Background: The Appellant-SRA challenged Bombay High Court orders that allowed a civil recovery suit and arbitration proceedings to continue against the corporate debtor (Bhushan Steel Limited) despite the approval of its Resolution Plan. The respondents, operational creditors, sought to pursue claims that were pending at the time of the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP).
  • Treatment of Claims: During the CIRP, the Resolution Professional admitted the respondents’ disputed claims at a notional value of Rupee One (1) each. The approved Resolution Plan stipulated that because the liquidation value was NIL, no amounts were due to operational creditors; however, a settlement fund was provided for those with admitted claims.
  • The “Clean Slate” Doctrine: The Court emphasized that a successful resolution applicant must start on a “clean slate,” free from “hydra-headed” surprise claims. Once a Resolution Plan is approved under Section 31(1) of the IBC, it becomes binding on all stakeholders, and claims not incorporated therein are deemed extinguished, withdrawn, or abated.
  • Finality of the Plan: The Court noted that the Final List of Creditors attained finality, and the respondents could not seek to reopen or question the commercial wisdom of the Committee of Creditors after the plan’s approval. The Court found no merit in the allegations of fraud, noting that no proceedings had been initiated under Rule 11 of the NCLT Rules to challenge the plan’s integrity.
  • No Express Carve-out: Upon a harmonious reading of the Resolution Plan, the Court concluded there was no express “carve-out” protecting sub-judice claims from extinguishment. The plan explicitly mandated that all legal proceedings relating to the period prior to the effective date stand extinguished, except to the extent of the specific settlement amount provided.
  • Observation on MSMEs: In an “Afterword,” the Court observed that the current insolvency framework does not adequately account for the position of small operational creditors and MSMEs, who are often placed at the bottom of the repayment waterfall. The Court suggested that the Legislature and Law Commission examine this to ensure a more balanced repayment mechanism.
  • Outcome: The Court allowed the appeals, set aside the contrary High Court orders, and dismissed the pending civil suit and arbitration proceedings, enforcing the finality of the Resolution Plan.

2026 INSC 717

M/S Tata Steel Ltd. v. Varsha & Anr. (D.O.J. 17.07.2026)

2026 INSC 717 click here to view full text of judgment

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Excluding Nominated Members from Local Authority Elections

July 18, 2026 No Comments

The Supreme Court upheld the High Court of Karnataka’s decision to exclude nominated members of Town Panchayats from participating in Legislative Council elections for Local Authorities’ Constituencies. The Court ruled that under the constitutional framework established by the 74th Amendment (Part IX-A), nominated members, who serve only in an advisory capacity, lack the democratic mandate of elected representatives. Consequently, their inclusion in the electoral roll was declared unconstitutional, and the Court affirmed the direction to conduct a recount of votes after segregating the invalid votes cast by these nominated members.

  • Background: The election to the Karnataka Legislative Council (Chikkamagaluru Local Authorities Constituency) was challenged because 12 nominated members from four Town Panchayats were included in the electoral roll and participated in the voting. The appellant, who won by a narrow margin of 6 votes, contended that the electoral roll’s finality should be respected.
  • Constitutional Interpretation: The Court held that while Article 171(3)(a) mentions “members” of local authorities, this must be interpreted through the lens of the 74th Constitutional Amendment. Article 243-R establishes that while nominated members may be appointed for their expertise, they are expressly barred from voting in municipal meetings, underscoring their advisory rather than representative role.
  • Democratic Representation: The Supreme Court emphasized that allowing nominated members to vote in Legislative Council elections would undermine the democratic nature of the electoral process, as they are not democratically elected. The Court affirmed that “members” in the context of electoral colleges refers to democratically elected representatives.
  • Finality of Electoral Rolls: While acknowledging the principle that electoral rolls typically attain finality, the Court distinguished this case by noting that the inclusion of the nominated members was void ab initio and unconstitutional. Therefore, the finality of the roll could not be used to validate an illegality that strikes at the core of the electoral college’s composition.
  • Secrecy of the Ballot: The Court rejected the argument that segregating these votes would violate the secrecy of the ballot. It maintained that the higher constitutional goal of preserving free and fair elections and ensuring the purity of the electoral process outweighs the requirement for absolute secrecy in this specific context.
  • Outcome: The Supreme Court dismissed the appeals and affirmed the High Court’s orders. The Court directed the authorities to proceed with the consequential actions based on the recount results already obtained, ensuring that the election outcome reflects only the valid votes cast by elected representatives.

2026 INSC 716

Pranesh M.K. v. Shanthegowda & Ors. – (D.O.J. 16.07.2026)

2026 INSC 716 click here to view full text of judgment

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Railway: Establishing Liability in Untoward Railway Incidents

July 18, 2026 No Comments

The Supreme Court set aside the concurrent dismissal of a compensation claim by the Railway Claims Tribunal and the High Court of Madhya Pradesh. The Court held that when a passenger dies in an “untoward incident” (falling from a running train), the absence of a recovered ticket does not automatically negate the status of a bona fide passenger. Emphasizing the “no-fault liability” principle under Section 124A of the Railways Act, 1989, the Court ruled that once the claimant establishes the foundational facts through an affidavit, the burden shifts to the Railways. Technical lapses and the inability to recover personal belongings should not defeat the humanitarian and welfare objectives of the legislation.

  • Background: The appellant filed a claim for compensation following the death of her husband, who fell from a running train while traveling from Raipur to Ahmedabad. The Railway Claims Tribunal and the High Court previously rejected the claim, citing a lack of proof regarding the deceased being a bona fide passenger (specifically due to the missing ticket).
  • Legal Principle (No-Fault Liability): The Court reiterated that Section 124A of the 1989 Act is a beneficial, “no-fault” provision. It is designed to provide expeditious relief to victims of untoward incidents without requiring proof of negligence by the Railway Administration.
  • Burden of Proof: Relying on Union of India v. Rina Devi and Doli Rani Saha v. Union of India, the Court clarified that:
    • The mere absence of a ticket does not disprove that a person was a bona fide
    • The initial burden is on the claimant, which is sufficiently discharged by filing an affidavit stating the facts.
    • Once this is done, the burden shifts to the Railways to disprove the claim based on attending circumstances.
  • Operational Concerns: The Court highlighted the critical issue of chronic overcrowding in Indian Railways. It noted that while the Railway Manuals contain detailed safety and ticketing protocols, the execution often fails. The Court suggested that Railways should increase manpower to better manage safety and ticketing, which could simultaneously reduce such tragedies and provide employment.
  • Constitutional Perspective: The Court observed that using terms like “second class passenger” is outdated and potentially offensive to the spirit of the Constitution of India; it suggested that class designations should refer to the “coach” rather than the “passenger.”

Decision: The Supreme Court allowed the appeal and set aside the lower court judgments. It ordered the Railways to pay compensation of ₹8,00,000 to the appellant within four weeks, failing which the amount would attract interest at 8% from the date of the original claim filing.

2026 INSC 715

Lata v. Union of India & Anr. – (D.O.J. 17.07.2026)

2026 INSC 715 click here to view full text of judgment

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